Daily Press Review - 4/10/2019

Property owners gain from state rental agreements

The Audit Service has found that rental agreements, housing Departments and Services of the public sector - with long-term rental periods and a clause for rent increases every two years - are benefiting property owners. The Audit Service has observed that due to the long-term rental periods, foreseen by some Rental Agreements, it seems that the total amount of rents that were paid over a period of 10 years, could possibly amount to the cost of developing the state’s own buildings.

 

Two porters guilty of scam – They pocketed €367,000

Limassol District Court found two members of the Licensed Porters Association at Limassol port guilty of a scam against the association, for embezzling large sums from its own funds. According to the court ruling, between 2008 and December 2012, the two porters embezzled €367,000 by submitting invoices to the association’s accounting department, for supposed repairs that were made to cars belonging to the association, which in reality never took place. The scam was revealed when the association’s five-member council spotted some unusual invoices for the purchase of spare parts and machines, and ordered independent auditors to carry out a detailed examination of its accounting books. According to the auditors’ findings, the financial and commercial transactions of the association were carried out without any elementary control, which in turn was exploited by a number of people. For example, a spare part worth €500 was charged as €3,000, while the tyres of the same car were changed dozens of times in the space of one year. In another instance, association members altered invoices for the purchase of machinery, eventually invoicing them at a much higher price. Following the advice of the attorney general, the association reported the case to the police, and it was investigated by Limassol CID’s financial crime unit. The association’s cashier and accountant were cleared of all charges, as there was not enough evidence to prove they were aware of the overpricing. The two will be handed down their sentences on 15 October.



National Council to discuss Yavuz invasion

In the wake of yesterday’s “invasion” by the Yavuz in block 7 of Cyprus’ EEZ, President Anastasiades has called a meeting of the National Council, which will take place today at 10.30am local time. Even though the developments of the President’s meetings last week in New York were initially on the agenda, an urgent discussion will be taking place on the latest developments in the EEZ. The President is expected to update the political party leaders on all the actions the government has taken so far to deal with the issue.



Piracy in Block 7

On the topic above, the site provides the coordinates of the Yavuz drillship’s location. It is 250km from Turkey’s coast and around 80km south of Pissouri, Cyprus, in the so-called ‘per Eratosthenes’ ring. The area where the Yavuz is preparing to drill is around 70km from the Calypso site which has been conceded to Total-Eni and 80km from the Glaucus-1 deposit that belongs to ExxonMobil-Qatar Petroleum.



Hoteliers seeking minor amendments to collective agreements

The hoteliers - taking advantage of the circumstances - are requesting an amendment of the agreement that was achieved in the hotel industry, following lengthy deliberations and concessions on both sides, citing the problems that may arise from the collapse of Thomas Cook. On their side, hotel employees firmly reject any amendment, referring to the statements of the Minister of Labour, that the closure of the company will not affect the collective agreement. As the president of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE), Charis Loizides said that they are making an effort to achieve minor amendments to the collective agreement, which do not alter the substance. Furthermore, he said he was uncertain whether the proposal would be accepted, since according to him, the closure of Thomas Cooks is expected to significantly affect the tourism sector in 2020.





Large-scale projects in Western Limassol are using tank trucks to rid wastewater

Stockwatch reports that the owners of large-scale projects in Western Limassol, are forced to empty their wastewater with the help of tank trucks. Even though the area has a sewer network, the creation of a wastewater treatment plant in Polemidia was delayed, and as such the network remains inactive. “The situation really touches on the verge of being grotesque. Twice per day – at night to be exact – the temporary casino operating in Zakaki needs the services of tankers, while the Mall needs these services even more times”, a resident of the area reports. “The sewage station is expected to be operational by 2021, and we hope there aren’t any more delays and as such, disappointing consequences, said the Director-General of the Sewage Board of Limassol, Amathus, Iakovos Papaiakovou. The residents are protesting. They believe that large-scale projects such as the Mall and the Casino have been emptying their wastewater with tank trucks. Apart from the problem that is observed today, the attention of everyone is turned to the immediate future and specifically, the completion of the casino-resort and the rest of the projects that are currently developing in the area. The casino-resort is expected to open in 2021. For the casino to be operational, it is necessary that the wastewater treatment plant is ready and fully functional, according to the commitments that the Republic of Cyprus has taken up. This is something that doesn’t seem likely, as the plant is expected to open in March 2021, and the state will likely be called to pay millions in compensation.



“I am 11 years old and I’m asking for help, in order to avoid destruction”

MPs received a letter from an 11-year-old student, with which he/she asks them to help him/her in order to avoid his destruction. Specifically, the 11-year-old student expressed hope that the MPs will approve a bill proposed by the Greens-Citizens Alliance, which concerns an entry ban for minors to the casino. In the letter, the student said she/he was very saddened by the Parliament’s decision, which allows the entry of minors to the casino, under certain circumstances. He/she argues that this decision is very destructive for him/her as well as thousands of young people. “According to the Law that the MPs have passed, I’m allowed to enter the Casino when accompanied by ‘any adult’”. As such, the child says that he/she will find an adult and pay them to enter the Casino, as well as pay him/her to gamble on his behalf. He/she mentions that the children’s involvement in these kinds of Games could lead could lead to addiction, which has been named by the UN as a disease. “With your decision to pass this Bill, you are exposing me and thousands of young people to destruction”, the child says. He/she says that Child Commissioner, Leda Koursoumba sent a letter 26 months ago, that the UN has a decision on the protection of children, which the RoC has ratified and as such, is superior to any Cypriot Law, including the one passed by the House. He/she argues that while the casino has been operating for a year, no tourist has come to Cyprus for the casino, despite what was promised. The child goes on to say that an MP has proposed a bill to ban children from entering the Casinos, and that he hopes that they unilaterally pass this Law, in order to avoid the destruction of thousands of children. Finally, he/she argues that while one needs to be over 25 years old to become an MP, he/she is exposed to the dangers of addiction from 11 years old.



Confusion over children’s vaccinations

Lately there’s been confusion and unnecessary misunderstandings over children’s’ vaccinations by GHS’ paediatricians. In fact, Phileleftheros received reports from parents that GHS’ paediatricians are charging them for administering a vaccine to their child. Phileleftheros contacted the MoH, which is generally responsible for vaccines, as well as the HIO asking for clarifications on the matter. According to the information it obtained, vaccines are purchased from the MoH and are then offered to GHS’ health professionals. The GHS covers any vaccine which is included in the National Childhood Immunization Programme and are purchased by the MoH. Then, GHS’ paediatricians administer vaccines free of charge to children/beneficiaries of the system. In cases when a paediatrician suggests a vaccine which is beyond the national immunization programme, they then have to inform the parents about incurring charges in advance. Also, in cases that a paediatrician wishes to administer a vaccine which has a respective vaccine covered by the GHS, they are again obligated to inform the parents that they have the option to opt for the vaccine included in the system free of charge, or they can opt for the vaccine suggested by the doctor at an additional cost. The current national immunization programme does not include some vaccines (for chicken pox, hepatitis A, and meningococcus B and ACWY, and rota-virus), however, it will be expanded in the first quarter of 2020 to cover most of these.



Everyone brought under fire

Mr. Marios Kouloumas, the president of the patients’ rights advocates, opened fire against every health professional group, calling unions and Okypy to put an end to their public conflict which only concerns earnings and doctors’ incentives and “see what is really going on in state hospitals”. Patients’ rights advocates called all groups of hospital employees to a meeting on 14 October, highlighting the need for an urgent reform of state hospitals. Mr. Kouloumas even put patients under fire, some of whom he said “despite the instructions of the relevant authorities, they insist on using the A&E departments for outpatient care, thus causing additional problems”. Speaking quite intensely, he said that “public health has focused on doctors’ issues, doctors’ rewards and their incentives. State hospitals have many other issues which need to be promptly dealt with, and everybody needs to finally understand that hospitals are nobody’s kingdom, they don’t belong to anyone, and they must be in the service of patients.” He continued to argue that patients suffer and continue to experience inconveniences daily. Some of the problems include poor management of hospital beds, a lack of communication between the various hospital departments, many calls are left unanswered, excessive delays in scheduling appointments as well as diagnostic tests. He added that there are additional problems that are not directly related to patients’ service, for instance; there is a huge delay in transferring pharmaceuticals from hospital storages to the HIO so they can then distribute them to private pharmacies.



German Oncology Centre (GOC) moves on to the GHS’ second phase

The GOC is in advanced stages of negotiating the conclusion of its cooperation agreement with the GHS, so as to include its second phase of inpatient care, according to its head Kikis Kazamias. Mr. Kazamias expressed hope that “other private hospitals will follow in our footsteps, and promptly put an end to negotiations and their doubts, because the GHS was created to stay”. Mr. Kazamias pointed out that the GOC was the first private hospital to agree to join the GHS under poor conditions and during periods of doubt.



A cancer patients’ day-care centre in Larnaca General Hospital

Yesterday, it was announced that a new cancer patients’ day-care centre will be established in the Larnaca General Hospital (LGH). The centre will assist patients of the Larnaca and the Famagusta area, and the procedure for its planning and implementation was finally approved. Mr. Andreas Apostolou said “This is a very important development for patients, which will now become reality. We are certain that Cyprus will provide a higher-quality of healthcare services to cancer patients following the implementation of the GHS.”